


Gift

by PerfectlyHopeless



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Gen, pregame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 03:22:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15258330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerfectlyHopeless/pseuds/PerfectlyHopeless
Summary: Malida hates when Asra leaves them behind, but he tries to make up for it.(Pregame drabble)





	Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Fair warning that Malida is nonbinary and this is written in the 3rd person. This is the first time I've ever written using they/them pronouns but I've taken care to avoid confusion.
> 
> With that said, I hope you enjoy <3

Malida hummed to themself as they checked the shop’s stocks, every now and then turning to the counter to make a note in their log. The rarer herbs were running low, along with the ones they used most often, but Asra had been gone for so long that they could only assume he was bringing back something for the shop. A sigh passed through their lips at the thought of him, causing them to stop and take a step back to lean against the counter. Malida pulled their long golden hair over their shoulder, braiding a small portion of it as a way of fidgeting. 

They took some pride in their braiding, remembering when they were able to do it for the first time after months of Asra doing it for them. The thin braids decorated the rest of their hair. They were asymmetrical, today more on the left than right. Few of them were ever tied off, so they eventually dislodged and returned to the rest of their hair. Some were braided together to make a thicker rope. A few were tied off with jeweled beads or random string they found sitting around the shop. Today there were 3 braids tied off, one with a little round jade bead and another with a bit of lapis lazuli. The largest had been tied off with some package string, a little feather strung on it. Asra seemed to find their habits endearing.

The rest of the neighborhood gave them strange stares when they passed by. Most of their friends were further in the city, in the market. Mostly the people that they saw regularly: the baker, a farmer, a fabric seller. Malida didn't leave the shop often these days, let alone the city, and they found bitterness within themself every time that Asra left. He ventured off to wherever while they were stuck at home with only the stove salamander for company. That one wasn't very chatty. Though perhaps it was for the best… they weren’t a fan of crowds. 

Malida finished off the newest braid and glanced at the counter. A smile tugged at their mouth as they untied a bundle of lavender, using the sweet smelling cord to keep the plait from coming undone. They began humming again, switching to singing a random song that felt familiar but that had no real meaning while they tucked the now loose lavender in a charmed drawer on the wall. Malida danced around to the other side of the counter, closing the log book with a flourish. They froze in place as the door opened, a customer entering the shop. Malida's light sienna cheeks warmed as they gathered themself, quickly attending to the customer and hoping that she hadn't noticed their silliness. 

Fortunately, the woman was too focused on her needs to pay her any mind. Malida filled out her order, practiced fingers wrapping up herbs in paper packages, tying them up with little bows to keep it all together. They offered her thanks and a smile as she paid, letting herself out of the shop. Malida kept up the smile until she left, their shoulders slumping forward once the door clicked closed. They exhaled a breath of relief, turning back to their work and adjusting the numbers in the book. Their voice bounced off of the walls as they continued singing, a smile tugging at their lips as a gentle breeze drifted through the open window and caused the crystalline chimes hanging from the ceiling to ring out. 

Malida continued with their chores, organizing everything before going into the other room for one of Asra’s books about magic. The leather cover was worn from use but the pages inside had been meticulously well taken care of. They closed their eyes and breathed deeply as they ran their fingers over the surface, feeling their master’s lingering magic in the pages. The two of them had gone through it together a few times when Asra had begun teaching Malida about magical theory, not too long after teaching them how to read. For all that Malida understood of concepts, they still fell short when it came to practice. Asra was a good teacher, always patient and seldom cross, but Malida was constantly frustrated by their own shortcomings. 

They turned to a page about using herbs for protection spells, hovering over the book while their fingers fidgeted with their hair again. They whispered out loud to themself as they read, hearing it out loud helping the information to stick. They paused only a couple of times when more customers came into the shop, setting the book aside to assist them before returning. It wasn’t as busy as it would be otherwise, most people coming into the shop for card readings that Malida wasn’t as skilled at yet. They were still waiting for Asra to teach them about the Arcana. It seemed as though he was anxious whenever they brought it up, as though teaching them could do more harm than good. 

Malida froze at the sound of someone coming in through the backdoor. That end of the shop had protection charms on it to prevent strangers or would be thieves from entering. The only one that it could be was Asra, and Malida’s anxiety turned to excitement as they hurried to the back, grinning. 

“Master, you’re home!” they said giddily, grinning as they approached him. Asra was caught off guard by this, turning to face them with a smile. “Welcome back.”

“I hope you were alright while I was gone,” he said as he took off his traveling coat and hat, hooking them both on the rack by the door. He glanced at the open windows, Malida watching his gaze as he checked the wards on the windowsills.

“Nothing happened, as usual,” they said, biting back some bitterness to try and sound more casual. As happy as they were to see him, they still wished that he would take them along when he traveled. “I did inventory this morning and we’re low on some things, I wrote up a list.”

Asra glanced back into the shop, nodding. “Alright, I’ll take a look at it.”

Malida nodded in turn, watching him. They glanced at his bag, noticing movement from within. A grin pulled at their lips as Faust poked her head out, sticking her tongue out playfully. “Hey there, you,” Malida said happily. Faust slithered further out, reaching for Malida. They held their hand out, giggling lightly as Asra’s familiar slithered up their arm and curled loosely around their neck. Faust bunted them with her nose, Malida reaching up to give her chin scritches. “I missed you too,” they laughed. The snake seemed content as she moved into their touch, seeming to get cozy against their warm neck as Malida went to turn out the lantern that showed they were open for the day. They returned to see Asra behind the counter, pulling things from his travel bag to go into the herb drawers. “Did you find what you were looking for, Master?”

“Not everything, but almost,” he said, not looking at them as he finished putting things away. They followed him up the stairs to the room they shared. With a simple gesture the lights in the room came on. Asra coaxed the stove salamander to start a fire. Malida watched as he filled the tea kettle with water, still coddling Faust. A smile touched their face as Asra met their gaze. His expression softened as he looked at them. 

“You two are so cute,” he said, settling down on the plush couch. He leaned forward, resting his chin in his palm. Malida shook their head, sitting down beside him. 

“Yeah, Faust is pretty adorable,” they said, glancing at the snake. She was weary from traveling, drowsily glancing up at her magician and his apprentice, and seemed content to rest on their shoulders. Asra shook his head at them, a soft expression still on his face. 

Sudden realization hit his face, startling Malida a bit as he reached for his bag. “I almost forgot, I got you something.” 

Malida's brows rose at this, silver eyes wide as he dug around in his bag. “A gift?”

He smiled as he pulled out something blue. It seemed to shimmer in the dim light, like water as he held out a scarf before them. They stared with their mouth agape at the beautiful shades of blue, starry embroidery almost seeming the dance across the material. Malida was hesitant to reach out and touch it, unused to such finery.

“Go on,” he encouraged gently, putting it in their hands. He watched with careful excitement as Malida took it, rubbing at the soft material. Slender fingers traced over the embroidery and trailed down the surface. 

“It's so beautiful,” they said breathlessly. They brought it up to their nose and breathed deeply, the scarf smelling like herbs and Asra. Malida wrapped themself up in it, marveling in how it could be so light and yet warm. They let it fall so it hung from the crooks of their elbows, staring up at him with bright eyes. “I don't know what to say.”

“That's fine,” he said, smiling fondly at his apprentice. “I'm glad that you like it.”

“I love it,” they corrected with a grin. Asra chuckled as the kettle whistled from the stove. Malida watched as he crossed the little apartment, smiling the whole time.

“Did you want some too?” he asked, referring to the tea. 

“Yes, please,” Malida said, taking some hair and pulling it over their shoulder to fidget with. Faust nosed their hand, nuzzling them before slithering down their arm and over to the window sill. Asra joined them on the couch, still with a fond expression on his face as he handed them a mug of hot herbal tea. It smelled of mint and chamomile. “Mmh, thank you.”

Asra hummed, sipping at his tea. “You're welcome.”

They smiled as the two drank in comfortable silence, Faust moving from her spot to curl up around the warm mug in Asra’s hands. After a few moments Malida shifted, resting their head on Asra’s shoulder. 

“Tired?” he asked, letting his head fall on theirs. The innocent gesture of affection filled his chest with a bit of light.

Malida hummed their confirmation, nuzzling up against him so that Faust slithered away to leave them be. They hadn't realized how lonely they'd been without him. “I missed you,” they mumbled.

Asra’s cheeks warmed as he shifted to put an arm around their shoulders, holding them close. Malida curled up against his side, minding their tea. “I missed you too.”

“Please don't go away for so long again,” they asked, voice low enough that they weren't sure if he'd heard. He gave them a little squeeze in response, not answering immediately. Malida set their cup on the little side table and hugged his chest, as though they could keep him there forever if they willed it. 

“I'm sorry,” he said gently, setting aside his own cup to wrap his arms around them. Malida buried their face in his chest as they fought back tears. “I can't make that promise. Not yet.”

“Soon?” they managed to say without sounding like they were going to break down.

“I hope so,” he said, running his hands up and down their arms to try and comfort them. 

Malida could live with that, for now. They breathed him in, his clothes still slightly smelling of smoke, and forced themself to relax. He was here with them now, and with luck, they would get more lessons in the days to come. But in this moment they were content to hold and be held.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you're so inclined, please consider leaving a comment. Otherwise, I hope you have a good day ^_^


End file.
